<p>Just curious, what are my chances of getting into:</p>
<p>1) Tufts University
2) Brandeis University (my dad went there)
3) Dartmouth College
4) Smith College
5) Boston College
6) Williams College
7) Amherst College
8) Pomona College
9) Boston University
10) Vanderbilt University</p>
<p>SAT score is 1340 (breakdown is 760 in math, 580 in verbal)...I'm kind of scared that the low verbal score will hurt me.</p>
<p>SAT IIs...
Math IC: 650
Writing: 670
U.S. History: 510 (not my best moment)</p>
<p>AP U.S. History Exam: 2 (another bad moment)</p>
<p>Grade point average: 3.5 for freshman, sophomore, and junior years (but I've had three C's during those years...one was in Geometry during my freshman year, the others were in Chemistry and Algebra II during my sophomore year). I have a 3.8 for my senior year so far. I've been taking all honors and AP classes since freshman year. I've made the high honor roll freshman and senior year, and the honor roll sophomore and junior year.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I'm first alto sax/section leader in five music ensembles at my school - the show orchestra, jazz band, symphonic band, wind ensemble, and marching band (all of which I had to audition to get into). </p></li>
<li><p>I'm also Student Council President and National Honor Society Treasurer. I've helped run several volunteer projects as a result. </p></li>
<li><p>I'm an editor of my school newspaper.</p></li>
<li><p>I'm part of the Big Brothers-Big Sisters program, where you get to mentor little kids. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>I've had 400+ volunteer hours at:
- Senior citizen home
- School library
- Animal shelter</p>
<ul>
<li>I made the National Honor Roll.</li>
<li>I was chosen for the National Youth Leadership Conference.</li>
<li>I've written some of the music performed by my school band.</li>
<li>I'm a pianist, saxist, and clarinetist (I take lessons for all).<br></li>
</ul>
<p>I worked as a camp counselor over the summer.</p>
<p>Tufts- 50/50 to Reach
Brandeis University- 50/50 to Reach, but because your father went there, I believe it is more of a foundation to 50/50</p>
<p>Dartmouth- Reach
Smith College- In the ball park. Foundation.
Boston College- 50/50 to Reach
Williams- Reach
Amherst- Reach
Pomona- Reach
Boston University- foundation to 50/50
Vanderbilt- 50/50</p>
<p>This was just using Stats only. Because you have a few C's, and your GPA is moderate because of that, I had to judge you accordingly. Colleges don't really like to see C's on transcripts. When using stats only, be careful of statistics. For instance, according to stats only, you are a foundation for smith because of its high acceptance rate of 51.6%, and it's SAT Range, but that does not mean acceptance because many smith applicants may have GPA's of a 3.9, and etc. which got them their acceptance. Brandeis is another example because its acceptance rate is 40% more or less.</p>
<p>What I do love about your data is that you are a pianist, saxist, and clarinetist. If you are highly skilled in these instruments, you are what they call a "targeted" applicant, and because you are at least qualified, you could gain acceptance into college based on this anywhere, but it would be harder at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton because a lot of their applicants play an instrument, are extremely good at it, and their grades are above normal. What I recommended that you do is send in supplementary tapings of you playing the all of your instruments. However, do not do do this if you are not highly skilled because most of the applicants that send in these materials are highly trained and skilled.</p>
<p>Hi
Your stats are not solid enough to guarantee admission to the 50/50 schools on your list. Most schools say: Don't send a tape or CD unless you are sure you are exceptional. Vanderbilt is also a conservatory based symphony orchestra and has high performance standards due to Blair School of Music.<br>
I recommend that you go to your private music teacher, choose selections that will show a Music teacher PhD what you have to offer, and send a CD that showcases your talent. Schools are looking to fill ensembles. Remember the admissions staff will rely on professional musicians on faculty to evaluate you, but this could be your best hook. It is not too late to improve that verbal score...and your SAT total is a good score. Buy the Real SATs and do them at home on the clock, and work on your vocab and I bet that score comes up.<br>
Best wishes and something great is going to work out for you. Spend time on your essays and show your vision of how you will be an active contributing member of the student body in each college that really appeals to you.</p>
<p>You have way too many huge reaches and not enough safties. You have very little chance at ivies, Williams, Amherst, Pamona. Even Smith will wince at your SATIIs and AP scores. By the way, where are the rest of your AP scores. Hopefully you're a junior and can put together a more realistic list.</p>
<p>I have to agree that you do not have true match schools (your being top quartile of applicants) on the list unless you are a fabulous musical talent that would be recruited, although I am not familiar with Brandeis. Even being top quartile won't get you into an LAC flooded with applicants every year. They simply have too many qualified kids to choose from, so you can't be certain you will be chosen. Don't underestimate the high quality of other top fifty Liberal Arts Colleges that you might be a match for.... Make sure to apply to a few schools that would be thrilled to get you. Your scores will stand out at schools just a little further down the list. Many schools have non-music major orchestras that would be glad to land you. My experience is that the faculty at schools just below the top twenty LACs are often just as wonderful as teachers at our most selective schools. Visit schools like Dickinson, Colby, Wake Forest, and Emory, too.</p>
<p>Oh, I'm not actually applying to these schools. I was just curious to see if others think I'd get in or not. I actually have another set of schools that I already applied to:</p>
<ul>
<li>UMass-Amherst</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon University</li>
<li>Trinity College</li>
<li>Barnard College</li>
<li>Bowdoin College
...and some other schools</li>
</ul>
<p>Your GPA, VSAT, SAT and SAT IIs aren't that solid</p>
<p>1) Tufts University-- Reach
2) Brandeis University (my dad went there)--- Reach (I dont know how much BU does for alum... could be as low as match)
3) Dartmouth College- Reach
4) Smith College- Reach
5) Boston College- Reach
6) Williams College- Reach
7) Amherst College- Reach
8) Pomona College- Reach
9) Boston University- Reach/Match (getting more competitive)
10) Vanderbilt University- Reach</p>
<p>1) Tufts - Reach.<br>
2) Brandeis - I'd say match because I have a sister who went there, and they seem to do a lot for people who have alumni relations. They sent me this special Blue Ribbon application, so I only had to send two SAT II scores. It didn't require me to send a personal statement, but I sent one anyway. I didn't apply to Brandeis for music, but I sent some of my compositions to them in hopes that they would consider me as an addition to their instrumental ensembles. If you are serious about music, you should definitely send recordings, compositions, or arrangements.<br>
3) Dartmouth - Reach
4) Smith - Match. You have a good shot since it is an all girls' school.
5) Boston College - Reach/Match
6) Williams College - Reach
7) Amherst - Reach
8) Pomona - Reach (but maybe if they are looking for diversity, they'll want to consider someone from the eastern U.S. - that is, assuming that you live there)
9) Boston University - I think you should be able to get in there.<br>
10) Vanderbilt - Reach
11) U-Mass Amherst - You are guaranteed admission here. At a school like this, your SAT scores will shine.
12) Carnegie Mellon - Reach
13) Trinity College - Match
14) Barnard - Match, because like Smith, it is all girls.
15) Bowdoin - Reach</p>
<p>your scores and gpa are probably average to below average in terms of the top liberal arts colleges and ivies, however, you do have excellent ECs and hopefully you have some sort of hook to get you in... i.e race/ethnicity or interesting circumstances.</p>